P.O. Box 7007
Page, Arizona 86040
928-645-0229
1-866-220-3946 toll free
friends@lakepowell.org
www.lakepowell.org

FOCUS ON SAFETY

The good news is that the accident rate at Lake Powell has been dropping.  Fatalities last year (2000) were lower than the five-year average.

The bad news is that 6 people have died so far in 2001--  two by cliff jumping and two by carbon monoxide…these are preventable!

All too often the Remote Operated Vessel owned by the Glen Canyon National Recreational Area is called upon to performthe regrettable task of retrieving a loved one.

The latest fatality…a seemingly harmless swim on a hot summer day turned deadly when the swimmer experienced distress in the water.

By the time his party (drifting nearby on a houseboat) could maneuver around and toss him a life ring it was too late. The 48-year old swimmer was unable to grab hold and he slipped under the water .

"We still have people dying from things they should not be dying from."

Mike Mayer, 
Assistant Chief Ranger
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Cliff jumping has claimed two lives in 2001

Think Smart!   Diving and cliff jumping are risky actions.  Rocks may lay beneath the surface, swimmers may be underneath you and even a 20' jump can knock you unconscious.

Boat engines and generators create carbon monoxide…a colorless, odorless gas that kills quickly.  Do not sit or swim anywhere near a running combustion engine or generator.  Modify your houseboat vents and install a carbon monoxide detector.  Educate the members in your party about the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Don't swim in open water without a life jacket.  Hold daily safety reminders with your boating party.